Stop worrying! It will all be over in an instant!
This relates to Kaylia in that we can become terribly anxious about the future ... but we need to look at things from the right perspective.
New carbon dating methods have shown that the demise of the dinosaurs was almost certainly caused by the impact of a 10 km wide rock! .... 66 million years ago .... and it took about 5,000 years for the earth's environment to recover.
Now .... consider that human recorded history goes back for maybe 5,000 years .... and that we've been driving cars for a bit over 100 years ..... watching TV for about 50 years ..... using the Internet for about 20 years.....
All the things we are so worried about .... are less than a grain of sand on the shores of reality..... and like the dinosaurs, we humans can disappear in an instant.
So ..... Stop worrying! It will all be over in an instant!
.... and the converse of this is?
Be mindful of the present moment. Look for the joy .... and store the memory.
At the end of the day, memories are all.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Friday, February 8, 2013
#830 Friday 8 February
The Changing of the Guard
I had been planning what to write in today's blog in my head during the night ... it was a very different topic. It went out of my mind when this morning's departure of AJ came round ..... I took AJ to the airport at 8:30 and there were lots of tears .... it was really hard.
Naomi had left at 8:00 with Kaylia and Naomi tells us that Kaylia was very subdued on the drive to school. Usually she jigs around and asks for different music to be played. This morning she was very quiet during the trip and she only wanted "Stay" (Taylor Swift) to be played. The interesting thing is that she has 3 firm favourites .... and "Stay" is not one of those .... so it's hard to not conclude that she has put a special meaning on the song this morning!
The good thing in all this is that we have gained a firm friend over the past months and I have no doubt that AJ will be back to see us in the future.
One thing we have noticed in the course of having 13 au pairs stay with us is that some people come and go with little impact on our lives ..... while others make a lasting and strong impact. AJ is definitely in the latter group. It would be rude for me to name the others ... but you know who you are!
Kaylia is having a tired spell at school ... this is understandable given that it's the start of the year with lots of changes going on in school and out. We are all tired at present. Naomi especially as she bears the major burden of the hardship at present. The light is shining at the end of the tunnel ... we just have to last till we get there.
I had been planning what to write in today's blog in my head during the night ... it was a very different topic. It went out of my mind when this morning's departure of AJ came round ..... I took AJ to the airport at 8:30 and there were lots of tears .... it was really hard. Naomi had left at 8:00 with Kaylia and Naomi tells us that Kaylia was very subdued on the drive to school. Usually she jigs around and asks for different music to be played. This morning she was very quiet during the trip and she only wanted "Stay" (Taylor Swift) to be played. The interesting thing is that she has 3 firm favourites .... and "Stay" is not one of those .... so it's hard to not conclude that she has put a special meaning on the song this morning!
The good thing in all this is that we have gained a firm friend over the past months and I have no doubt that AJ will be back to see us in the future.
One thing we have noticed in the course of having 13 au pairs stay with us is that some people come and go with little impact on our lives ..... while others make a lasting and strong impact. AJ is definitely in the latter group. It would be rude for me to name the others ... but you know who you are!
Kaylia is having a tired spell at school ... this is understandable given that it's the start of the year with lots of changes going on in school and out. We are all tired at present. Naomi especially as she bears the major burden of the hardship at present. The light is shining at the end of the tunnel ... we just have to last till we get there.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
#829 Thursday 7 February
It must be a good day! Here I am at 3pm writing the day's entry .... I wasn't awake at night to do it.
Kaylia is at school ... oblivious to the 'disaster' about to unfold for her. AJ is going. It will sink in over the next few days and she won't be happy at all!
The lizard? Here's the reply from DEC ....
The lizard that you are seeing in Darlington is probably the King’s skink, Egernia kingii. It is a very large skink and is only slightly smaller than the eastern states Land Mullet. The King’s skink has variable colour that ranges from black to dark grey, brown or olive. It often has no patterns but may have a few to numerous small pale spots of varying intensity.
So ... we now know what it is!
Evening
Tonight we had a special tea .... I'm not sure that celebration is a good word ... For AJs last meal with us. We had pizzas from Lil Ceasars in Mundaring .... The Best!!
While driving home with the pizzas I could hear Kaylia quietly saying "Happy feet ...." This is her way of saying "I'm feeling happy."
After tea AJ asked about a leaflet that she had found .... the "Kaylia's Operating Manual" that I wrote about 4 years ago. Much has changed since then but most of it is still valid. It's a good resource.
(At this moment Kaylia has finished her shower .... and she's experimenting with the bidet! She calls it "bath".)
Kaylia is at school ... oblivious to the 'disaster' about to unfold for her. AJ is going. It will sink in over the next few days and she won't be happy at all!
The lizard? Here's the reply from DEC ....
The lizard that you are seeing in Darlington is probably the King’s skink, Egernia kingii. It is a very large skink and is only slightly smaller than the eastern states Land Mullet. The King’s skink has variable colour that ranges from black to dark grey, brown or olive. It often has no patterns but may have a few to numerous small pale spots of varying intensity.
So ... we now know what it is!
Evening
Tonight we had a special tea .... I'm not sure that celebration is a good word ... For AJs last meal with us. We had pizzas from Lil Ceasars in Mundaring .... The Best!!
While driving home with the pizzas I could hear Kaylia quietly saying "Happy feet ...." This is her way of saying "I'm feeling happy."
After tea AJ asked about a leaflet that she had found .... the "Kaylia's Operating Manual" that I wrote about 4 years ago. Much has changed since then but most of it is still valid. It's a good resource.
(At this moment Kaylia has finished her shower .... and she's experimenting with the bidet! She calls it "bath".)
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
#828 Wednesday 6 February
The balcony sitting area that I constructed a few years ago is finally getting some use! (I'd love to use it but this requires 'me time' and I'm always getting breakfast for Kaylia.
Ingrid is enjoying some quiet time out there at breakfast time.
I've also noticed that relaxing is a learned skill .... it has been so long since we could relax that I for one ..... have forgotten how to relax!
Evening
We have begun preparing Kaylia for the imminent departure of AJ .... I think she is going to miss AJ in a big way.
It's a delight for me to watch the pleasure Kaylia derives from our family times in the evening.... we strive to give her a strong positive self image and this aim results in her having lots of fun time with us.
Ingrid is enjoying some quiet time out there at breakfast time.
I've also noticed that relaxing is a learned skill .... it has been so long since we could relax that I for one ..... have forgotten how to relax!
Evening
We have begun preparing Kaylia for the imminent departure of AJ .... I think she is going to miss AJ in a big way.
It's a delight for me to watch the pleasure Kaylia derives from our family times in the evening.... we strive to give her a strong positive self image and this aim results in her having lots of fun time with us.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
#827 Tuesday 5 February
Naomi and I are fortunate people .... to have Kaylia of course .... but also to be surrounded by wonderful, caring people! It's such a pleasure to have Zoe's mother visiting us. It has been such a good experience to have AJ with us. Usually when one of our au pairs moves on, we have mixed feelings .... regret tinged with a natural small sigh of relief :-) .... but for AJ it won't be either. No regret because I'm sure well see her again .... and no sighs because she has been such a bright spark around the house. We will all miss you AJ! 'Specially Kaylia.
Ingrid has been into the city sight-seeing this morning. She was able to see Kaylia at school as well.
Much later .... in March
I have to revise this entry so that the happenings will remain clear and as accurate as possible ....
The visit from Ingrid would not have occurred had we been informed of the reason Ingrid was coming to Australia! She would not have been welcome in our house.
It was eventually revealed to us about 2 or 3 days before she was to leave that the purpose of her visit was to persuade Zoe to leave Australia .... go anywhere but don't stay here with Kaylia, Naomi and Ian! This purpose was kept from us .... not discussed .... and even after we finally realised, we were given no opportunity to discuss this with Ingrid. We had to hope that Zoe would chose to remain with us ... and this was in vain.
The fact that Ingrid and her family were able to arrange the trip without giving us any idea of what the trip was for can only be seen as a calculated deception. I don't remember any other instance during my life of being treated with such deliberate contempt.
Ingrid has been into the city sight-seeing this morning. She was able to see Kaylia at school as well. 
Much later .... in March
I have to revise this entry so that the happenings will remain clear and as accurate as possible ....
The visit from Ingrid would not have occurred had we been informed of the reason Ingrid was coming to Australia! She would not have been welcome in our house.
It was eventually revealed to us about 2 or 3 days before she was to leave that the purpose of her visit was to persuade Zoe to leave Australia .... go anywhere but don't stay here with Kaylia, Naomi and Ian! This purpose was kept from us .... not discussed .... and even after we finally realised, we were given no opportunity to discuss this with Ingrid. We had to hope that Zoe would chose to remain with us ... and this was in vain.
The fact that Ingrid and her family were able to arrange the trip without giving us any idea of what the trip was for can only be seen as a calculated deception. I don't remember any other instance during my life of being treated with such deliberate contempt.
Monday, February 4, 2013
#826 Monday 4 February
A big welcome to Ingrid .... Zoe's mum ..... who arrives tonight as I write .... to stay for two weeks. She has been a constant reader of this blog for two and a half years now and so she knows us well even before she meets us face to face!
It's the first day of the new school year ..... Kaylia was very excited last night .... her routine is that before bed, she lays out her school uniform ready to put on in the morning. Last night she couldn't wait .... she got dressed ready to go!
There are multiple changes to her routine happening all together ..... and this has a huge impact on her anxiety levels. She has had a tough time yesterday and it will probably get worse before it gets better! AJ leaves in a few days..... Deb starts .... a new person in the house..... so much change. In the middle of all this, next weekend, Zoe is taking Ingrid and Deb on a trip to Margaret River .... Kaylia will see this as another change! Poor thing .... she'll be a mess before she gets through it all.
It's now 2am and they haven't arrived yet!
It's the first day of the new school year ..... Kaylia was very excited last night .... her routine is that before bed, she lays out her school uniform ready to put on in the morning. Last night she couldn't wait .... she got dressed ready to go!
There are multiple changes to her routine happening all together ..... and this has a huge impact on her anxiety levels. She has had a tough time yesterday and it will probably get worse before it gets better! AJ leaves in a few days..... Deb starts .... a new person in the house..... so much change. In the middle of all this, next weekend, Zoe is taking Ingrid and Deb on a trip to Margaret River .... Kaylia will see this as another change! Poor thing .... she'll be a mess before she gets through it all.
It's now 2am and they haven't arrived yet!
Sunday, February 3, 2013
#825 Sunday 3 February
We have a mystery on our hands!
Yesterday I was on the balcony and I heard a loud leaf rustle below ... looking over I saw a large black lizard and recognized as very like one that Kat had found on a bed one day .... the photo is on April 5th 2012 if you'd like to scroll back. This time, the one that I saw is quite possibly the same one grown up.
So .... I seez to meself .... wotizit?
So in the middle of the night I've been trawling the Internet and the only image that matches is "Egernia major" .... Land Mullet. These are a beautiful large skink .... a relative of our favourite blue-tongues . They can grow to be 60cm long. I think ours would be about 40cm ....... the mystery is that all the sources say that they are only found in a small area of the north east of NSW!
Now my goal is to find our specimen again and get a good photo so I can investigate further. There's probably a local person who is expert on the local lizards.
What does this have to do with Kaylia? Nothing .... except that she would love to hold him. I've just taken her for the middle-of-the-night wee trip ...... and thought to myself about what a battle it is to keep her adequately hydrated! Many problems result from her becoming dehydrated .... headaches, constipation, tummy aches, irritability.... and these all contribute to her anxiety attacks. What a vicious circle!
Yesterday I was on the balcony and I heard a loud leaf rustle below ... looking over I saw a large black lizard and recognized as very like one that Kat had found on a bed one day .... the photo is on April 5th 2012 if you'd like to scroll back. This time, the one that I saw is quite possibly the same one grown up.
So .... I seez to meself .... wotizit?
So in the middle of the night I've been trawling the Internet and the only image that matches is "Egernia major" .... Land Mullet. These are a beautiful large skink .... a relative of our favourite blue-tongues . They can grow to be 60cm long. I think ours would be about 40cm ....... the mystery is that all the sources say that they are only found in a small area of the north east of NSW!Now my goal is to find our specimen again and get a good photo so I can investigate further. There's probably a local person who is expert on the local lizards.
What does this have to do with Kaylia? Nothing .... except that she would love to hold him. I've just taken her for the middle-of-the-night wee trip ...... and thought to myself about what a battle it is to keep her adequately hydrated! Many problems result from her becoming dehydrated .... headaches, constipation, tummy aches, irritability.... and these all contribute to her anxiety attacks. What a vicious circle!
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